Santa Carla Stars
by Noon.Recluse
Summary: Santa Carla: 1986- Edgar and Alan Frog were the best at what they did, they hunted monsters and business was good. The one thing they never prepared for were the complications that came with associating themselves with girls, especially the likes of a pseudo valley girl with a gift and a mousy bookworm with a penchant for naivety. Another year, another creepy ass to kick. AU/OC
1. Melody Road

_Authors note: This story will focus on the exploits of two OC's and their relationship with the Frog brothers, which makes this an AU. Really AU._

_I'm working on intertwining this story a little more than what they did in the movie and comic series. I don't really plan on excluding any characters that were introduced in the first movie… this won't apply to some of the characters in the comic series and the other two movies. I suppose you will have to wait and see._

_._

_I've taken liberties with names, ages, characters, and background stories._

_I own nothing! The only thing I own are the characters you don't recognize, all others belong to their respective entities._

_**The M rating is for gore, language and sexy times**__._

_With that crap out of the way…_

_I give you_

_**Santa Carla Stars**_

**The Pixies**

_**Chapter One: Melody Road**_

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><p>O\

Santa Carla August 1985

It was a starless night in Santa Carla, the clouds covering all that would bring light in the night sky. The darkness did nothing to shield the girl who was racing across the beach. She panted, clutching her neck as she darted into a small cluster of trees and hid behind a large trunk hoping to catch what little breath she could. Her eyes scanned the dark canvas wildly as her breathing slowed. When she heard a snap of a twig she clamped a hand to her mouth in an attempt to silence the breathing she believed to be too loud. The now visible wound on her neck cried blood, the streams of crimson tears staining the white of her crisp shirt. She let out a muffled sob as another twig snapped, closer than the first. She launched herself into a sprint as a shadow caught her eye. The female could feel its presence bearing down on her as grounding snarls chilled her to her core.

She never believed in God but in her moment of desperation she found herself whispering words of forgiveness, letting go of all those moments she held onto when people wronged her. They were so important then but now everything seemed so trivial. Her mind wrapping around the inevitable conclusion, she was going to die.

The shadow had caught up with her relishing in the chase that the little mouse had given. Now it was time to end things, it was time to feast. Running forward, the dark figure acted as a wall when the woman slammed into its solid mass. She fell back and whimpered as it wasted no time and latched onto her neck and drank greedily, not at all concerned with the female's lashes, screams, or protests.

"Enough."

A fleshed tongue snaked its way over bloodstained teeth. "She's delicious."

"She's a reawakening." The voice deepened in a chiding tone. "You know this, fledgling." The silhouette gritted its teeth, not at all relishing the smile heard in the cool voice. "You seem to forget that I'm a favorite amongst the children. Is that really something that I need to remind you of?"

Ignoring the taunt, the shadow lingered at the woman's neck before the smooth voice cut through once more. "You know what our mission is. This one is of use to us. Do I really need to reprimand you, sister?"

"I hate it when you refer to me as a sister." A disarmed and relenting sigh slipped past red lips. "Fine."

"Don't forget."

"Yeah, yeah." The only thing that could be heard was the distant chirping of crickets and the yipping of coyotes. "All of this because of a stupid vendetta." At this point the woman was trying in vain to crawl away, crying out for anyone to help. "Jeez, can't you just shut up for a few minutes?! See, I was going to let you in on a little secret but you just had to ruin the moment." A heavy foot stomped on the girls back causing her to cry out in pain. "Oh, shush." The girl saw nothing but quick flashes of black and red. "I'm so sick of that assholes high and mighty ways! Thinks he's so choice. Fuck him and his wannabe Motley Crew."

Her mind barley registered a pressure on her lips and her eyes widened as she gagged as a metallic liquid invaded her mouth. It was a horrid taste, one of plague and death. She hooked her hands onto whatever was offending her lips and pulled for dear life. "Wow, you're feisty. There's really not a lot of point in letting that energy go to waste and unlike Max, I like to play with my food." Teeth sank into her neck once again.

Her eyes blurred and her mind began to haze. Everything became so heavy to her and unconsciousness was a welcomed friend. The shadow stepped back and grinned.

"You'll learn around here, things aren't what they appear to be. Welcome to The Pixies, Melody."

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><p><em>I hope you enjoyed the very small first chapter and introduction to the beginning of <em>_**Santa Carla Stars.**_


	2. Battle Scars

_Authors note: I want to really thank Llayth for her very helpful reviews. Because of her I did some revisions and hopefully helped the overall flow of the story. I hope you enjoy the changes!_

_I own nothing! The only thing I own are the characters you don't recognize, all others belong to their respective entities._

_**Santa Carla Stars**_

**The Pixies**

_**Chapter Two: Battle Scars**_

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><p>September 1986<p>

Jessica Ann Morrison, or Jam as her friends call her, had grown over the past year, if that meant anything. She shot up like a weed, and she likened herself to that because her subtle and catching curves had grown hard, flat, and unappealing. Her mother had suggested that maybe she should try out for basketball to gain some of her confidence back but Jessica just rolled her eyes and groaned. She didn't like sports, she didn't like to get sweaty and she didn't like dirt. She just didn't like manual labor in general and would avoid it like she avoided any song by ZZ Top.

Her relationship that kindled with the Frog brothers remained intact, but her social status had completely disintegrated. Rhoda Jamison, a former friend of hers and the most popular girl in school had stopped talking to her and for good reason. Because of Rhoda's distance no one in school really talked to her anymore but they sure as hell liked to talk _about_ her. At least the notoriously selfish girl didn't suffer alone. Heather, a small and mousy brunette had befriended her at the end of their 8th grade year. Heather had stuck with Jessica through her downward spiral from popularity and she was thankful for the girl's companionship and loyalty. Heather was the glue that held the four together, really. Edgar, Alan, and Jessica's relationship was tumultuous at best but something about Heather kept them from separating. She was such a sweet girl.

After the usual banter with her parents Jessica headed out the door. It was not a typical sun kissed morning in Santa Carla. The rain was beating down, drumming against the pavement and creating a gloomy feel of disappointment. Jessica rolled her eyes as she opened her umbrella and walked down the road to school. She hated humidity and she hated rain, both were pounding down on her with a vengeance and she could feel her hair begin to frizz out. _'So much for my time and energy on this tragedy.' _She pulled at a slightly curled and frizzed strand of hair. "Ugh."

As her eyes set down the road she thought about her friend Heather. She wondered about her friend and how her summer had gone. Heather had talked about visiting her aunt in New York and that caused Jessica's jealousy to kick into high gear but she tried to swallow it for her friend's sake. That dose of medicine was extremely bitter for her to gulp down.

When Jessica reached the Powers family home she rapt a few times on the door, ecstatic that Heather's brother Shane had answered. The young girl considered Shane to be a very handsome man. His blonde hair was curled like his sister but his was longer and a bit more tamed than hers. His blue eyes seemed endless, their murky depths were something to lose yourself in. Jessica marveled at his chiseled chest as she openly ogled him, as was customary every time she visited their household. Shane chuckled as he propped himself against the doorframe. "Hey, kid." He laughed as he watched the girl before him recover. "You ready for your first day?"

Jessica rolled her eyes. "I'm ready for it as much as I would look forward to a flu shot."

"I bet." He looked the girl up and down. "So, you are beginning the 9th grade?" She nodded. "And you are older than my sister by about a year?"

"Yeah...What's your point?"

His blue eyes sparkled with mischievousness. "Were you held back?"

She sighed. "Yes. I was held back because I didn't get along with the other kids. They told my parents that I needed to further my social development."

Shane chuckled. "I imagine. And here I was worried for my sister's welfare." At that point Jessica couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not. "Heather is almost ready." He leaned in and Jessica blushed. She was never good at being this close to the slightly older guy. His hair brushed against her cheek as he whispered in a conspiring tone, "First day jitters. You know how you girls are." He leaned back and smirked at the girl's flustered expression.

"Shane. Stop teasing my friend."

Heather or 'Ther as Jessica affectionately called her, hadn't changed very much over the summer. She was still petite but her body had filled out a bit more creating an alluring wonder of womanhood. Her hair was just a touch longer and Jessica also noticed that it was lighter and had gained some natural highlights. Her plump face had thinned out a bit as well, a fond farewell to the childhood pudge of her youth. Her overall style hadn't changed much. She still looked as casual as ever with a simple pair of jeans, a light blue t-shirt, and some worn out tennis shoes.

Shane straightened up and gave his sister a lopsided grin. "It's fun messing with her." He threw Jessica a wink. "Right?"

Jessica shuffled her feet. "Um, right. You ready, 'Ther?"

"Yeah."

Heather pushed her brother out of the way causing him to laugh and stumble a bit. "Whoa there, little Valkyrie! How about you keep that strength in check, huh?" His sister mumbled under her breath and grabbed the taller girl by the wrist and began marching down the sidewalk, the rain momentarily forgotten.

"Did you and your brother go all WWF or something?"

"No. Shane was just dangling over my head the fact that he hung out with Alan and Edgar over the summer. " She paused. "You know my brothers secret affair with comics."

Jessica grimaced. "Yes, and that is, like, the only flaw your brother has."

Heather scoffed. "My brother isn't perfect, Jam. He was lording the fact that he knows that I like…" She drifted off, not wanting to admit her crush out loud.

"Heather, when are you going to tell Alan that you think he's a stud?" Heather's green eyes widened and she spluttered, trying to find the words to deny what her friend was saying. Jessica noticed her floundering and scoffed, tossing her long black hair over her shoulder and pinning her friend with a condescending look. "It's not like they can hear us, you know."

"Yeah."

"Alan's an all right guy," She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Definitely doesn't have some screws loose like Edgar. You should tell him."

Heather ran a hand through her curly mop of brown hair as she continued looking nervous. "I don't think I can put myself out there like that. Alan is a sweet guy but he's kind of hot and cold… Well, lukewarm and just below room temperature." She joked. "There really isn't any evidence that he likes me."

"Whoa, whoa. Hold your horses, Magnum PI! When the hell did you grow a mustache? Are you Tom Selleck? I didn't ask you to investigate or gather evidence, I'm asking you to take a chance!"

"I don't know, Jam."

"Don't know about what?"

The girls stopped in their tracks and twirled around in shock, both not expecting to be interrupted. Heather smiled a shy smile and mumbled a greeting, before them stood the Frog brothers and that meant her crush, Alan. Heather was happy to see them and saw that they had changed a small amount over the summer but her brows knitted in concern when she saw other things as well. The boys both had dark circles under their eyes indicating a lack of sleep and maybe dealing with insomnia stemmed from their obsessions. The two had gotten slightly taller since she had seen them but everyone seemed taller to her because she was shortest one in her entire class. Both looked as though they had been home bound for the entire summer because they seemed paler, almost to the point of looking sickly. One thing that hadn't changed was the army fatigues, both boys were little soldiers at heart. Another was their hair, still as haphazard as ever. Fighting off the urge to rub their heads in affection, the short girl settled for a small blush and an aversion of her eyes.

The only thing that really stood out to Jessica, other than their normal scrubby military look, was the bandana that Heather had used on Alan to dress one of his wounds. It was after that whole _'shopkeeper going bananas'_ fiasco that she really understood Heather's affections towards the elder brother. _'No fucking way…'_

Both Edgar and Alan gave a small resemblance of a smile to Heather. "Hey, Heather." Alan's eyes slid over to the other girl and his pleasant smile (pleasant for a Frog) morphed into a strained smile. "Hey, princess."

Jessica ignored the distasteful tone of the eldest Frog and stomped her foot like a spoiled child, clearly not happy with the interruption. "Boy you guys have the worst fucking timing!"

Edgar gave the tall girl a once over and let a snide tone slip its way out of his mouth. "Nice to see you too, you goddamned giant."

Jessica gasped and rounded on Edgar, a plot forming in her mind as her eyes expressed rage. "And my conditional headache returns!" She crowed as she grabbed Edgar's hand, he growled at the contact and mustered the foulest look he could giver her. "I need you to help me, Edgar. You're, you know, useful I guess." She hauled the younger of the boys off and waved a hand, a cheerful smile masking her dark anger. "See you later, 'Ther! Get bent, Alan!"

Heather and Alan gaped openly as Edgar was dragged off.

"She hasn't changed." Alan grunted as he recovered from his brother's kidnapping. "Jeez, the whole entire scene played off like an Amazonian claiming her mate or something."

Heather nodded in agreement. "She has gotten taller, hasn't she?" Alan balked at the girl's avoidance of his insult toward her friend but recovered and nodded in agreement. After several beats of silence Heather cleared her throat. "We, uh, we should start heading to school, huh?"

Both of the kids started walking to the school, which seemed further away than it really was in the rain. On occasion Alan would kick at the puddles along the way and Heather would giggle a bit even with the water soaking into her shoes. "So, how was your summer?"

Heather shrugged her shoulders. "My aunt took me to some nice museums when my younger brother Shawn and I went to visit her. New York is a nice place but it's pretty crowded. Yours?"

"Edgar and I spent most of the summer helping the folks with the store. We hung out with Shane a bit." Alan let a ghost of a smile pass his lips. "Your older brother is alright. He likes a lot of the same comics we do."

"Oh?" Heather felt her throat clench at the mention of comics and her brother. Her brother was a bit of a sore spot at the moment but that paled in comparison to her lack of enjoyment when it came to comics. She really didn't like them but she never had the heart to tell either brother. She just wanted to be a part of the things that they enjoyed. "That must have been nice. Was the weather… nice?"

"I guess."

"Well, that's good." Silence fell over them as they continued to make their way to school. After a few minutes Heather couldn't take the silence. "Are you excited about starting 10th grade?"

Alan grunted a reply. "Sure."

"I think it's pretty great that all of us are going to be in the same building. What about you?"

Alan sighed, "Are you going to tell me what's on your mind, Heather? This small talk is kind of killing me."

"Oh. Well…" She decided to be like Jessica for once and just jump in. "Alan, I need to talk to you about something."

/O\

"Let me go, you goddamned maniac!" Edgar snatched his hand back and began to rub his pained appendage and muttered, "Jesus, what is it with you and your ungodly ability to clamp with those meat hooks?" After gaining feeling back he looked at the dark haired girl and glared. "And why the hell are you spazing more than usual? I figured that you would have at least mellowed out over the summer."

Jessica just snorted. "Sorry to burst your bubble, Rambo." She took a step forward and glared at the shorter boy and pointed to his forehead. "Why are you wearing that?"

He blinked. "What?"

"That bandana. Why are you wearing it?"

Edgar didn't miss a beat. "What's it to you?"

"Ugh." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm just looking for a straight answer, okay? No need to get all defensive or anything."

'_When the hell was I defensive about anything? What is she hiding?' _He decided to pass over her comment. "So you haul me off like a psychopath and ask me a question that hardly warranted any kind of privacy, which I'm assuming you were looking for. Are you an idiot?"

"Nope. Just curious."

"I… don't even know how to respond to that." Edgar coughed and relented, knowing how bitchy his "friend" can become when she didn't get what she wanted. "I got it from Alan. He asked me if I wanted it and if I didn't he was just going to throw it out. I liked the looks of it so I kept it."

"That… was not what I was expecting." She crossed her arms and took on a constipated look. "Well, crapola." _'I thought that Edgar might have been carrying a torch for Heather. At least that would have been a little more interesting. Fuck.'_

"Did you suffer brain damage over the summer? You are acting stranger than normal and that's kind of saying something." He decided to add in his afterthought. "You know, it seems like the weirder your behavior is the harder you are trying to hide something. But that couldn't be it, right?"

Edgar watched as the girl chugged her way up a hill and away from him. He stared for a moment in complete disbelief as she crested the hill. "Goddamn her and her creepy stealth. And of course she finds the only hill in the damn town that isn't made of sugar sand."

Jessica made it to school before any of them. When she reached the pristine lawn she doubled over and took in several breaths. _'Sweet, sweet oxygen! I love you more than my cassette player or Stevie Nicks!' _As she finally felt comfortable to straighten herself a sense of tension caused her to stiffen.

"Well, if it isn't Jam." Jessica's eyes cleared as she took in the sight of the person addressing her. "You seemed to grow over the summer."

Rhoda had changed and Jessica begrudgingly had to admit for the better. She had filled out quite well, too well. Jessica wanted to believe that the reason why she looked so perfect is because she went to Hollywood and had some ridiculous surgeries to modify her body but she knew that her parents would have never paid for or supported that. Rhoda had become the goddess that Jessica wished so hard to be and she could feel her stomach lurch because of it. Her breasts were large, her curves were soft, her skin was tanned to perfection, and it almost seemed like her blonde hair was creating a halo of blinding light that angels would be jealous of. She looked great and Jessica longed for the days when girls were envious of her, not the other way around.

"Hey, Rhoda."

"So I was talking to your dad and he told me that you went to Wisconsin for the summer." The dark haired girl growled and clenched her fist. "Weren't you boasting about Paris?" Rhoda flipped her blonde hair over her shoulders and grimaced. "I had a pretty tense summer. I kept having dreams about shadows and kangaroos… Can't imagine why, can you?" Her baby blue eyes narrowed and Jessica felt a pang of guilt rip at her chest. _'What happened below the boardwalk was just despicable.' _

Jessica turned away from the girls intense stare, something she thought she would never do. She wasn't the type of person to stand down. "Nothing is going to change, Jessica." Rhoda explained as she looked at the taller girl in disdain. "Maybe you should warn your friends." Rhoda backed off, a bleak frown marring her pretty face. "See ya around."

Jessica sighed and unclenched the muscles she didn't realize were tightened and let her the hand that had traveled to her chest fall limp to her side. Guilt and regret was something that Jessica promised herself that she wouldn't feel because she knew that it destroyed people.

Jessica walked into her first class, happy that she was alone right now.

/O\

Edgar wasn't happy and it showed. His eyes trained on his desk, glaring a hole into the surface of the freshly waxed wood. His thoughts lingered on the shallow bitch that dragged him off by the wrist. Jessica pissed him off to no end but what irked him even more was that his brother chided him, telling him to be nicer to the snobby twit. Both Edgar and Alan had to admit that she was pretty good at sniffing out the riffraff and her ability to observe and detect the baddies was really an asset.

Sometimes he wondered if having Jessica or Heather around was worth all they pain they brought with them.

"Wow, Edgar. I think that the desk is dead from that glare you are giving it." Edgar's eyes snapped up, recognizing the voice. Heather smiled warmly and sat down next to him. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." He took in her disheveled appearance. "You look like you've been crying."

Heather ducked her head trying to hide her face. "I, uh, my allergies." She wiped at her eyes and cheeks. "The pollen count is really high."

"I take it my brother was being an insensitive clod."

Heather sniffed and discreetly wiped her nose on her sleeve. "No!" Her fast response told him otherwise. "I'm really okay, Edgar."

He grunted. "Fine. I'm not good at handling emotional people, anyway."

She stared at him before letting out a good-natured chuckle. "At least you are consistent, Edgar. Don't ever change."

Before he could respond the bell rang and class began.

/O\

The first day of school had passed as fast as the ice age. Alan couldn't help but list the stark contrasts as he waited for his brother. School was cold, monotonous, and boring while their summer was warm, spontaneous, and alluring. Nothing beat chilling at the comic shop, catching thieves, and chatting with Shane about the latest comics. Why did summer ever have to end? His thoughts traversed to a more unsavory topic that he so desperately wished to avoid.

_'Why? Why did the mousy little brunette finally decide to grow a pair and confess her crush?!'_ Both he and his brother had an unspoken rule, no relationships… EVER! Neither one of them wanted to chance getting innocent people hurt and Heather was about as innocent as they came.

Their last case had been a reaffirmation that civves and work don't mix. While both girls were helpful in their own way, they were both an unwanted distraction. _'Well, Jessica was more of a distraction than Heather,'_ He mused._ 'At first.' _

Jessica was loud, obnoxious and very stubborn. She was the complete definition of a total bitch and someone that could weasel her way under the skin of the most disciplined and stoic individual. Heather was kind, soft and naïve. She was the sweet bookworm that always had a ready answer to any question. She was something that appealed to Alan too much, even then, even now. He found himself dropping pretenses around her and his constructed walls would always disintegrate whenever the two were alone. He would open up, his rough exterior forgotten as he unknowingly let the girl into his world.

As Alan stewed in his thoughts Edgar approached in about the same mood as he was in. Edgar growled and shoved Alan in a brotherly manner in an attempt to ground his space bound mind. "What the fuck, Edgar?"

Edgar shrugged. "You were far beyond Neptune, Alan."

Alan glared at his brother. "Well, I guess we should be on our way."

"Yeah. Lets go before princess finds us."

The eldest brother groaned. "What are you talking about?"

"That chick is mental! She's trying to be all buddy-buddy with me today. During gym she heard someone mouthing off about me and she began berating the guy until he cried. It was scary. On top of all that she told me that from now on when she has to work the three of us are walking to the Boardwalk together. This broad is so pushy, I don't even know what to think."

Both the Frog brothers began to search the crowded halls for the girl in question. They ducked away and hoofed out of the school, desperate to gain some distance from Jessica and her horrible personality. Once they made it the first block the two boys started to take notice of the weather. They were happy to see that the rain had stopped but the looming clouds in the distance told the tale of impending fall of precipitation.

Most of their walk was in silence and Alan glanced at his brother on occasion, mentally laughing at his brother's cautious looks over his shoulder. After a few blocks the boys slowed down and Alan outright began laughing as he saw his rigid brother relax. "Shut the fuck up, Alan! I'm telling you that that bitch is unreal."

"I never thought that my brother would have this much trouble with a girl." He clapped his younger brother on the shoulder, grinning. "It's priceless."

"Oh yeah," Edgar decided to fire back. "What about Heather? What did you say to miss sunshine, huh?" Alan's hand slipped from his brother's shoulders, his smile falling and his dark eyes cast to the ground. "She was looking pretty messy in class, trying to convince me it was nothing but allergies."

Alan sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Heather told me that she liked me."

Edgar stared at him, blinking a few times before he let the situation sink in. _'Is that the reason why Jessica hauled me off like a sack of potatoes? Is it because she pestered Heather into confessing her crush to Alan?' _Edgar noticed Alan's pained expression. "Sooo… was she upset that you liked her back?"

"Christ, Edgar! Could you be a little more supportive? I had to tell her that I didn't like her and that she was reading into it too much. Fuck! I was so condescending to her, you know? I told her that maybe she should stop reading fairy tales and join the real world, that she should just grow the fuck up." He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "I saw her heart breaking right in front of me but I just kept going. God, what is wrong with me?"

"Man, civves and Frogs just don't mix." Edgar patted his brother on the shoulder. "You did what you had to do."

"Yeah, but I didn't need to be that cruel." Alan whispered and shrugged his brother's hand off of him. "She just sat there, all doe-eyed and sweet. Then I told her that I didn't date fat, grody Joanie's."

"Wow. That's pretty harsh, Alan, and in Valley speak."

Alan groaned. "I just wanted to make sure she got the message. It's like my mind just blanked and the words spilled out."

Edgar looked at the sky. "Oh, I think she got it. What are you going to do when princess finds out? She's going to murder you. If you really think about it the two of us are only acquaintances to her while mouse brown is pretty much her Robin."

Alan's head shot up, his body shuddering at the thought of the giantess getting her deadly grip on him. "While Jessica is a frightening idea, I'll raise you one. Shane."

Edgar looked at his brother and let out a whistle. "Fuck."

"I'm dead."

"Well, you had a nice life, Don Juan."

"Fuck you, Edgar."

_There is the first chapter! I've been working on it for a while, tweaking and deleting, but it's done and I'm happy. I spent the last little while listening to 80's metal and let me tell you, TIME WELL SPENT! Anyway, I love reviews and if you see any kind of mistakes, please tell me! Two sets of eyes are better than one!_

_I spent some portion of my day looking up 80's slang and I didn't mind it. It's like a walk down memory lane when I see slang terms like, 'Valley girl, Noid, and Wiggin' I just can't help but smile. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the first and expect the second in the near future._


	3. Open Book, open Window

_Nothing new. I own nothing and make no profit from this work of fiction. Hope you enjoy chapter 3!_

_**Santa Carla Stars**_

**The Pixies**

_**Chapter Three: Open Book, Open Window**_

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><p>O\

Jessica was pissed. She had told that stupid boy that he and his brother were supposed to escort her to work and they both bail like the little worms they were. She was going to make them pay for their indiscretions because she hated to be let down. Granted, Edgar never actually agreed to anything… but that didn't matter! At least it didn't matter to her. She hated walking alone because it was always way too silent and silence meant that her mind began to linger, and that meant she became a little more receptive to others feelings. Shaking her head she started jogging, heeled boots be damned!

When she finally made it to the walk she heaved a sigh of relief. After about the third time of humming 'Talk to me" by Stevie Nicks, she was getting a bit winded. Looking at her watch she saw that she had a few minutes before she was supposed to be at her fathers shop so she decided to mess with Edgar and Alan. Cackling, she marched her way up the boardwalk. When she got to the front of the store she just sat there, a blank expression masking her intentions. She waited for the brothers to make their appearance. After the seconds ticked by she saw Alan walk out of the back room. He was balancing a few boxes, careful not to knock over any displays. Straightening her shoulders, Jessica jumped forward realizing her chance.

"Here, Alan. Let me help you." Her voice was soft, dripping with so much honey it made her nauseous listening to herself. She grabbed the box obstructing his vision, her face lighting up when his eyes landed on her.

All color drained from his face. "Oh, god."

"Where would you like me to put the box?"

"I, uh…" His jaw just about dropped at her tone. Alan couldn't help the nervous intake of breath or the strained words that followed, "Over there by that empty display."

"Alright!" Jessica chirped happily. She hauled the box next to the display case and set it down. For a beat she just stood there and then she turned, pinning Alan with her pleasant gaze. "Is that a good place for it?"

"Uh, yeah." Alan felt like a fish out of water because this was not the same girl he knew. Jessica was not nice, she wasn't polite and she sure as hell wasn't helpful like this obvious doppelganger was. For just a moment he entertained the idea of the possibility of an alternate universe. He quickly reprimanded himself for his stupidity. "Jessica, what are you doing here?"

Before she could answer Edgar stormed out of the storeroom. "Jessica?!" His eyes landed on the girl in question. "What the hell are you doing here?!"

Jessica clapped her hands together and batted her lashes. "I just came to give you guys a helping hand. It's what good neighbors do, isn't it?" She looked at her watch. "Oh, but I really _must_ be going." She looked at the boys, her blue eyes glittering. "It was so good to see you again." She tipped her head in a congenial manner. "Edgar, Alan." She turned around and walked out of the store and couldn't stop the snort of laughter that escaped when she hit the boardwalk. _'Suffer, boys. Know my wrath.'_

The boys watched as she left her store, both wearing the same expression of befuddlement. "Was all that to get back at us?"

Edgar shrugged. "I don't know." His eyes darted over to their dinner, a pizza from down the street that they had placed on the glass display case next to the storeroom. "Do you think she poisoned our food?"

"I don't know, but now that you said that…" Alan picked up the phone and dialed. "I'm ordering Chinese."

/O\

Heather had decided to skip her usual routine after school. Today was Monday and that meant a session with her piano teacher Ms. Weiss. After the whole entire debacle with Alan she just wasn't in the mood for the severe woman. Being the responsible girl that she was she cancelled during her lunch hour claiming that she wasn't feeling well. The woman surprisingly understood and Heather could feel a small weight of apprehension lift from her chest. When she walked through the door her brother met her at the front, a look of relief passing across his blue eyes.

He sighed in relief. "It's just you." He eyed his younger sister with a critical expression. "What are you doing home so early? Don't you have lessons or something?"

Heather shook her head. "I'm just not feeling very well, Shane. I'm going to go up to my room and relax, okay?"

Shane's eyes took in her weary face, her slouching posture and glassy eyes. "Okay, kid." He cupped her cheeks so she would look hat him. "Hey. I'm sorry for pestering you this morning about that boy, okay?" His hands lowered to her shoulders and brought her in for a hug. "You know that I wouldn't tell him about your crush."

Heather buried her face in his chest, the thoughts of this morning swarming her mind. She gulped down a sob and forced back the tears that threatened her stinging eyes as she pulled what little strength she could from within her to answer him. " I know, Shane." After a few moments of the embrace he pulled away from the girl and smiled. Her small nose began to twitch slightly as she took in a foreign scent. "Shane, you smell like perfume."

Shane rolled on the ball of his feet and glanced at the closet. "Don't open that door if you don't want a surprise." At her confused look he continued. "My girlfriend wanted to chill here for a while so we've been… busy. When I heard the door open I freaked and stuffed her in the closet."

"I don't think she'll thank you for that."

Shane laughed and wiggled his eyebrows. "I think she'll thank me plenty when you go up stairs."

"What does that even mean?"

"You'll understand when you're older." He looked at his sister for a moment. "Well, after I'm jailed for killing the guy that treats you like that."

"Well, I understand that you should be afraid of her brother finding out because he would more than likely have the same reaction."

Shane laughed and scooted his sister towards the stairs. "It's a good thing that she's an only child." Heather began walking up the steps before Shane called out to her, "No tattling?"

"When have I ever?"

"Good girl."

Shane watched as his sister walked up the landing and lost sight of her but heard the sound of a door closing gently. He sighed and turned toward the door of the closet, a lazy grin stretching across his face.

"It's time to play."

Heather closed the door and leaned against it with a sigh. She closed her eyes, thankful that she was now alone with her thoughts. All of a sudden she heard a squeal of delight and airy giggles from down stairs and sighed. Leaning against the door for a few minutes to ponder she shouldered off the door and landed face first on her bed. Grabbing a pillow she placed it underneath her face and screamed. She screamed into her pillow until her voice grew hoarse. Taking a few minutes to get her breathing under control she rolled onto her back and stared at her popcorn ceiling.

'_Why was I stupid enough to think that Alan would return my feelings?' _She sniffed as a few tears trickled down her cheeks. _'He was so nasty. Maybe…' _She shook her head and wiped her tears. "No!" She sat up. "I won't do this to myself… I won't." She looked out the bay window. "I just need to take my mind off of this."

She walked over to the window but stopped when she spared a glance at herself in the mirror. Heather really looked at herself. _'What is it about me that Alan finds so unappealing?' _Heather sighed and leaned her forehead against the mirror.

Thoughts of Jessica invaded her mind. _'Jessica is pretty. She's the kind of girl that guys go after.'_ Heather knew that Jessica had a coarse nature about her but her loyalty and fiery attitude made up for it. She had passion and she was so honest that it was often considered cruel. Heather longed for the kind of assertion, confidence and authority that Jessica emanated. She wished with all her heart to be more like her friend.

"Maybe if I was more like her…"

Heather's thoughts were interrupted but some scuffling down stairs. Then the yelling began.

"Damn it, Shawn!"

"Gross! Mom, Shane is swapping spit with some girl!"

"Shane Tobias Powers! What do you think you are doing in my house?!"

Heather groaned. "So much for a quiet night."

/O\

It was just another day at Morrison Records. With summer winding down the traffic through the store was not as thick and the job grew tedious as the minutes ticked by. When Jessica's lunch break rolled around she was quick to forgo her appetite to call her Heather. When she had visited the Frog's she sensed something from Alan aside from the normal feelings that sprang forth when she was near him. He was hiding something and an air of nervousness permeated from the elder brother masking his dislike for the girl. That caused her curiosity to spike in serious ways and raised questions pertaining to his peculiar behavior.

Jessica picked up the phone in the office and dialed her friend. After a few rings someone picked up. "Hello? Powers residence."

"Hello, Mrs. Powers. It's Jessica."

The woman's tone changed from official to mothering. "Oh, Jessica. How was your summer, dear?"

"Good enough, Mrs. Powers. I was wondering if it was at all possible to talk to Heather?"

"Certainly. I'll go see if she's up."

"Up?"

"Yes. She came home feeling a bit under the weather and hasn't been down from her room for the whole evening."

"Oh, Mrs. Powers, if she isn't feeling good then I'll just wait to talk to her tomorrow. It's really no rush."

"Are you sure?"

"Oh. I'm sure. I just want her to feel better. Can you tell her that I'm thinking of her."

"Yes, dear. Have a good night."

"Oh, I will." She hung up the phone, careful not to slam it down._ ''Ther never misses her after school activities. What the hell did he do?'_ She looked out the window at the comic shop down the way. She held out her hand, pointing at the shop and lifting up her thumb to stare down the makeshift sight. "Be vewy, vewy quite. I'm hunting Frogs." She pretended to pull the trigger of her finger gun as a shadow passed in their shop. "I'm going to kill you tomorrow, Alan."

The rest of Jessica's shift went by without a hitch aside from the fact that her mood hadn't improved much. She was waiting for her shift to end because she wanted blood. Jessica was happy when it finally drew to a close but was unhappy to hear that her dad wouldn't be giving her a ride home because his assistant manager had not shown up for her shift.

"Daaaaad!" The teenager whined. "I hate walking home at night."

"Jessica, it's not like we live miles away from the shop. Besides, your mother has the car and she's working late at the treasurer's office tonight. I need to complete the inventory for last month or your mother will have my head."

"That's not the only thing that mom has that used to belong to you." The girl uttered, earning some snorts from a few of the stray customers in the shop.

Her father grabbed a hold of Jessica's arm and dragged her out the shop. "Go home, and no stopping by the comic shop. I saw you glaring daggers at it when you were sorting records. Don't torment those boys any more than what you do, Jess." He slammed the door closed before the girl could even retort.

"This is a form of child abuse, it has to be!" His parting words finally hit her like a ton of bricks. "When did he decide to be so observant?"

Before Jessica could even think about murdering Alan in the slowest way possible a niggling feeling began to well within her. Her muscles tensed as apprehension swelled in her chest, causing her to whirl around and search the faces of the boardwalk. Her eyes scanned over the unfamiliar faces as her hand reached up to clutch the collar of her work shirt, her fingers brushing underneath the cloth.

A deep voice caressed her ear, causing a small tremor of fear to quake down her spine. "Whacha doing?"

When she spun around two individuals greeted her sight. She took in their appearances as she tried to reign in the rampant feeling of unease within her body. One of the girls looked to be about in her 20's with a willowy but toned frame. Her eyes were a dull grey in color, which was an unusual contrast with her flaming red hair that feathered around her face and her smooth, pale skin. Jessica came to the conclusion that hair color like that could only come from L 'Oriel. Her fashion was something that appealed very little to Jessica as she took in the dark, skintight leather body suit and red leather jacket.

The other girl who looked to be around 13 or 14 had more of a boho fashion. She was dressed in a pastel floral sundress and brown sandals. Her long brown hair was done up in pigtails much like a five year old would, and her brown eyes sparkled with wholesomeness but Jessica could feel anything but purity from her. The young brunette felt like the one that would lull you into security only to pounce on you and kill any preconceived beliefs you had.

The brown haired girl grinned. "She's at a loss for words, huh, Melly?

The redhead known as Melly gave a grin of her own. "Yup. She sure is, Tia. You work here, cupcake?"

Jessica could feel their sense of superiority come off them in waves and wanted nothing more than to rip into these girls. She wanted to let her claws come out and lay a few well-placed hits that would leave them to lick their wounds. Alas, she knew her father would ground her from cable, namely MTV, and she would die without her fix of The Bangles or Stevie Nicks. Plastering on her best smile and ignoring the feelings that were imploring her to listen to her 'fight or flight' instincts she met the taller ones eyes. She made it a point to stand a little straighter, her eyes hardening like diamonds. "I do. I figured that the work attire was pretty obvious but I can see how it could be missed by _some_ people."

Both the foreign girls frowned. "With an attitude like that you probably scare off loads of customers."

"Good thing I'm off duty." Jessica watched as the girl's serious expressions lightened as they began cackling. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Melly leaned on her right leg and crossed her arms. "That is a long story." She uncrossed her arms and held out a hand in a friendly gesture but retracted it when Jessica didn't reciprocate. "Name's Melly," She motioned to the brunette next to her. "This is Tia."

"Right. You two new around here?" Jessica cursed her curiosity.

"I'm a lifer but Melly here only just dropped in last year."

"I haven't seen you at school."

"We're homeschooled." Both girls answered simultaneously.

"Uh…"

"Don't believe everything you hear about homeschooled kids. Tia and I are as normal as they come." Jessica felt like Melly had just read her mind and that bothered her. Melly seemed to pick up on her unease and added, "Most people usually ask us if we're freaks or defective." She felt herself sink in further in doubt. These girls didn't feel right to her.

Tia stood up on her tiptoes and leaned in close to Jessica. "Why do you keep fingering your collar?"

Jessica took a step away from the nosey girl. "It's a necklace that I got from my Grandma. She gave it to my over the summer when I went to visit her." She averted her eyes when she saw both girls give her a hungry stare. Both Melly and Tia eyed her with a new sense of intrigue as they saw a small glimmer of the trinket around her neck.

Suddenly a large hand was placed on her shoulder making her jump. Her wide eyes shot up to the person beside her.

Max Harmon glared at the two girls before him. "I thought I told you to stay away from the boardwalk."

Melly shrugged. "You don't own the walk, yuppie."

He took a step forward, shielding Jessica from the girls' watchful eyes. "I may not but I can just as easily call security to escort you off."

Both girls looked at one another and giggled. "Oh, we wouldn't want that. That brooding piece of sirloin is certainly a foreboding element to contend with." Melly placed a hand on Tia's shoulder, guiding the small girl away. "See ya around, Jessica."

Max glared at their retreating backs for a few moments before his features soften and a gentle smile replaced his thin frown. "Are you okay, Jessica?"

Jessica sighed. "Yeah. Just a little freaked out is all. You really didn't need to interfere, you know. I can handle girls like them just fine."

Max's smile didn't falter. "Always the soldier, aren't you?" Max tried to place a hand on the girl's head but she maneuvered herself away from his touch. "You don't trust me do you, Jessica?"

"I don't really trust anyone on the walk, sir."

Max laughed. "I think that reasoning is going to save your life." He turned his back to her and began to walk away. "I guess I'll be seeing you around, Jessica."

Jessica shifted in unease, her eyes fixed on the back of the man's head. _'Just who are you, Maxwell Harmon? What game are you playing and what pieces are you moving?'_

Piercing blue eyes watched as Jessica walked off the boardwalk.

"Is it time, David?"

"It's time to play our game, boys. The boss wants me to head to New York pick up a little package. Guess this one is a real Star." David's grin grew sinister. "She's going to be a fun one to fuck with."

/O\

Rhoda Jamison tossed and turned in her sleep, the effects of her nightmare gripping her mind. It was always the same dream, it was always the thing that haunted her most. The funny thing was that night she had barely caught a glimpse of the monster but it left its mark, both physically and psychologically. The worst thing for her was how it always started…

"_Jessica, I swear I heard something this time!"_

"_Don't worry so much, Rhoda! It's probably a few junkies that are shooting up or something."_

_Rhoda heard the same faint squeaking noise again. "Jessica…"_

_Jessica whirled around to address her frightened friend. "Oh for God's," Rhoda noticed Jessica's blue eyes widen as she took a step back. Jessica's skin began to pale and her jaw slackened as she tried to form her next words. Her expression was reminiscent of those that you would see in a Hanna Barbara cartoon but Rhoda wasn't laughing at the terror that reflected in her friend's eyes. "R-R-R," _

_Jessica's stutter confirmed her growing apprehension, something was behind her and it was breathing into her ear. Rhoda watched as Jessica uprooted herself from the ground and stumble backwards. She watched her best friend run away in fear. She watched her best friend retreat, not even giving a backwards glance. Her best friend left her life in the hands of a monster._

_Rhoda wanted so badly for her body's distress to send signals to her brain to make her faint. She wanted so much for the old movies she used to watch with her grandma to be right. She wanted to pass out, to bypass all the horror that was right behind her covering her in its putrid presence. She wanted someone to come in the knick of time and slay the demon. Her mind clicked in a moment of clarity, fairytales really do spoil the heart and alter your perception of reality. Rhoda realized that no knight would come for her and that she was dead meat._

_Clawed fingers scraped across her blouse, cutting it from her skin with ease. Fur brushed her cheek, she could taste the rancid breath that drifted along the calm breeze. Large hands, oddly warm, began to caress the naked skin of her neck and collar. Nothing about it felt sexual but it felt just as evasive and degrading as an unwanted touch. Rhoda let out weak simpers of protest as the creature brought a hand to its muzzle and licked its fingers, a small trill signaling its delight. _

_She heard a barely distinguishable growl. _

_The creature sunk its teeth into the tender of her neck. Rhoda was paralyzed as the monster drained her blood, not even stopping to take a breath. She felt her life begin to slip away. _

_She heard the creature rumble a growl and release her lifeless body. Blood began to pool around her as she struggled to breathe. The delusion of her friend coming to save the day lifting like a dream as she lay there, an occasional twitch of her fingers not even a blip on her radar. She felt so lightheaded; all she wanted to do was sleep but she chanced a look up and what she saw horrified her._

Rhoda woke up screaming and covered in cold sweat. _'It's always that dream. It's always that thing… she always leaves me.' _She turned on her lamp, got out of bed and stepped over to her vanity. "I'm going to have to dye my hair in the morning." She smoothed out wisps of hair that were errant, paying close attention to the beginning streaks of white that poked through the roots of her blonde hair.

"_Rhoda…" _

She turned around. "I swear I just heard someone call my name." She looked out the window of her room and saw only bland landscape dowsed in darkness. Shrugging, she turned around and started brushing her locks.

"_Rhoda…" _She dropped the brush when she heard her name being whispered again. _"Rhoda, look at what's become of you, poor girl. You've been cast aside like a ragdoll, like an unwanted toy. Do you wonder what it would be like to be reawakened?" _She felt like she was in a well, the words echoing over and over, _"Let me in."_

The suggestive voice seeped into the depths of her heart and ate at her curiosity like a ravenous animal. She held a breath and felt everything run cold as an overwhelming urge to open the window tore at her.

In a trance-like state she ambled to the window, a ready hand on the glass.

* * *

><p><em>Okay! Third chapter done with a couple new characters introduced. I just wanted to take some time to give some love to Llayth! Thank you so much for taking the time to review. I love reviews and I love follows and favorites! Do you think that Rhoda opened the window? Hmmmm… Who was it that was coaxing her? Ambiguity is kind of a bitch. <em>

_Useless fact: Hair does not go white from fear. I've decided to take some liberties with that and make it a little bit believable by having it start at the root. :D_


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